Gridiron Hounds To Host Wagon Wheel Game on Saturday Night

By Adam Pittermen

For the first time in program history, the Eastern New Mexico University football team will play for the Wagon Wheel on campus. After a strong showing in a 25-14 victory at Angelo State, the Greyhounds will return to Al Whitehead Field at Greyhound Stadium this Saturday, to face West Texas A&M. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT.

Eastern forced five turnovers in their victory over Angelo State and held the ball for 38:10 of play. The Buffaloes converted 11 of 19 third-down attempts, on the way to a 37-25 win over Tarleton State.

How to Follow the Game
The Wagon Wheel Game will be broadcast LIVE on KENW-TV PBS-TV Channel 3-3. The legendary “Voice of the Greyhounds” Dr. Donald Elder will be on hand to broadcast the game on KSEL 105.9 FM, which also will have an audio stream of the game on their website. A video stream andlive statistics will be available at GoEasternAthletics.com.

The Matchup
The Greyhounds are 14-16 against West Texas A&M, with a 13-15 record when the teams meet for the Wagon Wheel. In 2013, the Hounds rallied from a 21-point deficit to claim a 39-38 win on a two-point conversion.

The 2013 victory spark a run of three consecutive victories over WT, which included a Lone Star Conference playoff game to close the 2014 season. Last year, the Hounds faced a 35-14 deficit at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, but scored three straight touchdowns to pull even. After a WT field goal, Aaron Johnson hauled in a 73-yard touchdown pass to open the final quarter and give ENMU a 42-38 lead. The Buffaloesscored the final 14 points and held on for the 52-42 win.

The last time WT visited ENMU for the Wagon Wheel game, the contest got off to a strange start. The Buffaloes recovered the initial kickoff at Eastern’s 23-yard line, but a bad snap on the first play cost them 17 yards. After two more plays, the Buffaloes punted and ENMU drove 85 yards to take a lead they would not relinquish.

West Texas A&M (Then West Texas State Teachers College) actually has made four previous trips to Portales, N.M. The Hounds hosted WT’s freshmen team in the 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1938 seasons. In those contests, ENMU posted a 3-1 record.

Greyhound Head Coach Josh Lynn is in his fifth season at Eastern and has a 22-22 record. In 2013, the Greyhounds finished with a 5-1 mark in Lone Star Conference play to share the league title with Tarleton State. Mike Nesbitt is in his fourth season at West Texas A&M and has a 22-13 overall record after he was 11-3 as the interim coach in the 2013 season.

Around the Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference Website
Lone Star Conference Scoreboard
Lone Star Conference Football
Lone Star Conference Schedule
Lone Star Conference Standings
Lone Star Conference Statistics

With matching 3-0 records, Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce remain the only undefeated teams in the conference, and are joined by West Texas A&M as the only three teams yet to suffer a LSC loss. Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico are tied with 2-1 records in LSC play, while Tarleton State has a 1-1 mark. Texas A&M-Kingsville, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Angelo State, and Oklahoma Panhandle are looking for their first conference wins of the season.

On the Run
Eastern New Mexico University Website
ENMU Athletics
ENMU Football
ENMU Roster
ENMU Schedule
ENMU Statistics

After four games, the Greyhounds rank third in the nation in rushing, with 349.8 yards per game. In the NCAA Division II, Eastern trails only Harding (407.5 ypg) and Sioux Falls (380.3 ypg). Kamal Cass is at the forefront of ENMU’s running game and ranks seventh in the nation with 584 yards.

ENMU also ranks fourth in the LSC in total offense. Cass is fourth in the LSC in scoring, while Aaron Johnson is ninth in the league in yards per catch. Bailey Hale is fifth in scoring by a kicker. Eastern also leads the league in time of possession at 36:09/game.

Defensively
The Hounds run defense is the second-best in the Lone Star Conference and trails only Texas A&M-Kingsville. Brad Hardin ranks seventh in the LSC in tackles per game, while Desmond Blue is tied for the lead in interceptions.
Blue had a huge game last week against Angelo State. He was in on a sack, made his second interception of the season, and recovered a fumble.

Special Teams
Bailey Hale averaged a season-best 41.2 yards on five punts in Eastern’s 25-14 win at Angelo State. He had two kicks downed inside the Ram 20-yard line and booted a career-best 51-yard punt in the fourth quarter, followed by a 50-yard punt later in the quarter. The two kicks allowed a combined one yard in returns and both pinned ASU inside their own six-yard line. Hale’s 31-yard field goal in the second quarter was the third straight made field goal by the redshirt freshman. He also had two touchbacks on five kickoffs.

Buffalo Notes
West Texas A&M University Website
WT Athletics
WT Football
WT Roster
WT Schedule
WT Statistics

West Texas A&M is off to a 3-1 start, with three consecutive victories. After a season-opening loss to Azusa Pacific, the Buffs defeated CSU-Pueblo, Texas-Permian Basin, and Tarleton State

Up Next
Next week, the Eastern New Mexico University football team will visitUniversity of Texas of the Permian Basin. A two-game home stand againstTarleton State and Bacone College.